8th Edition Orc & Goblin Armybook Tactics

[Malorian]

I tested it out in a few games but found it really needs to be on a black orc warboss to help handle the reduced weapon skill. It sucks when your savage warboss is reduced to WS3 and is hitting the enemy general on a 5+.

[Drakcore Bloodtear]

Hey guys, long time O&G player coming back from a year long break from Fantasy.
I stopped playing Fantasy about a month after 8th edition was released, so i may be a little shaky, but a small Fantasy Tournament is beginning soon at my local club so I thought I'd bring back the green.

I've made a 2000pt list and read this thread so I trying to go for a competitive list with a theme.
The theme is that two small rival goblin tribes are united by a big block of Black Orcs lead by a Shaman, the two Night Goblin bosses are trying to out do each other to gain favour from the Bigger Orcs who don't really care.


Orc Great Shaman: Talisman of protection, wand of jet, lv4, Potion of toughness = 300

Black Orc Big boss: Bsb, Morks Banner, shield = 217

Night Goblin Big boss: Great Weapon, LA = 36

Night Goblin Big boss: Great Weapons, LA = 36

Night Goblin Shaman: Feedback Scroll = 100

Night Goblin Shaman: lv2 = 85

30 Night Goblins: FC, Netters, 2 Fanatics, spears =215

30 Night Goblins: FC, Netters, 2 Fanatics, spears =215

5 Wolf Riders: Bows = 55

5 Wolf Riders: Bows = 55

30 Black Orcs: FC, shields, Banner of Flame = 435

Rock Lobba = 90

Rock Lobba = 90

Mangler Squig = 65

The idea is the Blorcs take on the big stuff, with help from the Shaman, while the artillery soften up the big hoards for the Night Goblins to whittle down, and the squig is there because judging from what everyone has said they're awesome.

Now this is the first time playing with the new book, so some constructed criticism would be great.

Also would it be better if I had Night Goblin Warbosses instead, for the ld?

Are the two Goblin Shamans worth it (8th ed is supposed to be very magic heavy no?)?

Are Rock Lobba's still 90pts and worth it compared to Doom Divers?

I know people like to take big blocks, are mine big enough?

cheers for the help

[Glenn87]

yeah, you keep on to the big 3 Hordes.
I'm a HUGE fan of Mangler Squigs and Doom Divers, so I'd never leave home without them.
I followed your advice, and normally only field a lvl 4 Orc and the NG +1Ld BSB.
Would you suggest a Warboss too, or just keep the troops comming?

[Shimmergloom]

Lobba's are less than 90pts.

And I would drop the useless lt armor from your ng big bosses.

[JDV311]

Hello greenies! I was thinking of running an all Night Goblin army. I'm not expecting to win all my games but I don't want to get ran over every game either. Obviously my general needs to be very survivable...but beyond that what else should I include and how many? Shamans-I'm thinking a level 4 and maybe 3-4 level 1's...is that too many? I really want to stick with the Night Goblin theme so that limits my choices a bit. Any help is greatly appreciated!

[Malorian]

Your general will NEED the help of the LD banner, so plan to bunker him along with your bsb.

For magic I definately support the lvl 4 but wouldn't take more than 2 level 1s, in fact I would probably only take 1 if anything additional to the lvl 4.

The next big thing you need to decide is how pure of a night goblin army are you going to be. Are you going to allow squigs, troll (do they have to be stone trolls?), giants? The more you answer 'no' here the more actually killing things become a problem. In the end I highly recommend units of 10X10 with spears, nets, and a few characters with great weapons.

Good luck (both in gaming and finding old starter sets).

[JDV311]

Thanks, I was hoping one of the big dogs would answer. LOL But anyway YES I would allow squigs and trolls...not sure about Giants though. Do you think the 10x10 units would be an issue staying within the general's bubble?

[Malorian]

I will be able to get 3 of them in the bubble. Squig herd would be on the flanks.

[datalink7]

I'm a big fan of the squig herd horde, and I run mine at 40/15. The amount of damage they pump out is amazing.

Due to T3 and no armor obviously you avoid units like witch elves and instead send them up against thing with great weapons.

With the extra points a large unit of night goblins would be a great idea. Always nice to have a way to bog down things that actually stand a chance against you


This weekend I'm playing in an elimination style tournament and I'll be rocking:

Savage orc warboss w/ sword of bloodshed, potion of strength, enchanted shield 235
Lvl 4 savage orc great shaman w/ shrunken head 255

Night goblin big boss bsb 55

40 big un savage orcs w/ extra choppa, banner 450
20 night goblin archers 60

40 black orcs w/ banner, flaming banner, musician 510
40 squigs and 15 handlers 365
Troll 35
Troll 35

Total: 2000

It's more character heavy than I'd like but even with just 8 players in the tournament 2 of them play VC and LOVE ethereal (which the warboss will rip apart like nothing).

Apart from this biggest compitition I expect is a cunning wood elve player and my brother's skaven. The squig herd will probably be a liability against wood elves but I think I can handle it.

Agree Squig Herds are amazing. ITP allows them to be on the flanks too which is just an added bonus.

However, with a proper build I don't think that this runs right through Vampire Counts. In fact, most Vampire Players vote O&G as their easiest match up amongst all armies. I know how I'd fight it anyway with my all commers list (which is always what I run.. I never run army specific lists).

[Glenn87]

Hello greenies! I was thinking of running an all Night Goblin army. I'm not expecting to win all my games but I don't want to get ran over every game either. Obviously my general needs to be very survivable...but beyond that what else should I include and how many? Shamans-I'm thinking a level 4 and maybe 3-4 level 1's...is that too many? I really want to stick with the Night Goblin theme so that limits my choices a bit. Any help is greatly appreciated!

I did that once, was really cool and fun!!

I had something like this
NG Warboss (sword of Might and Enchanted shield, maybe a ward save, but not sure)
NG BSB (+1Ld banner)
NG lvl 4
40 Speardudes
40 Bowdudes
40 Squigs with 15 Handlers
2 Manglers
I think I added a Doom Diver

of course I added 6 Fanatics

I think that was about 1.5K

[venomx51]

The new(est) Orcs and Goblins book is definitely one of the best of the bunch

I never leave home without these;

- A horde Savage Orc Big 'Uns with extra weapon and a shaman with shrunken head (5+ ward save): They really are obscene killing machines, and reasonably priced.
- 75 - 100 Night Goblins with nets and fanatics: 3 points a model for effective T4 tar pit.
- A Troll chariot or two: 2 trolls, one behind the other for 6 attacks with a small frontage. Quicker than a normal chariot, with regen and vomit!
- 2 Mangler Squigs: get these out front to make that cavalry think twice about charging.
- Doom divers: Will pretty much hit a unit every time (unless you misfire). They take out D6 heavy cavalry on a 2+ or 3+ from way across the battlefield.
- Lvl4 Savage orc shaman with fencers blades and 4+ ward. 6, WS10, S7 (spell lore and choppas can take S7 to S9) attacks when spell buffed. Again, quite a nice combo if you can get the spell off.
- 10-12 Wolf Riders. M9 cavalry. Cheap.

Doom divers, vomit and Manglers will eat heavy cavalry like popcorn. My mates WoC army hates them! The Goblin tar pit with Toll chariots in support are good for trapping large monsters or heavy cavalry for the Trolls to vomit on, and the savages will rip through most other units, with lots of reasonable-higher strength attacks and a 5+ ward save.

Just lots of nice units to choose from.

[Welfstar]

- A Troll chariot or two: 2 trolls, one behind the other for 6 attacks with a small frontage. Quicker than a normal chariot, with regen and vomit!

This interests me.

Does anyone else have any experience with this set-up?

Anything to add, venomx51?

[Shimmergloom]

I never did, but I wanted too quite often.

It seems like a good idea though.

[Malorian]

Note that this troll chariot will get an average of 4 hits (3 of the 6 attacks and 1 stomp) at str 5, and a boar chariot will get an average of 6.5 hits (3.5+1 impact + 1 of 2 boar + 1 of 2 orc).

So the orc chariot hits harder and has a longer threat range, but the troll chariot has more wounds and continues to hit harder after the initial combat.

[Drakcore Bloodtear]

yeah, you keep on to the big 3 Hordes.
I'm a HUGE fan of Mangler Squigs and Doom Divers, so I'd never leave home without them.
I followed your advice, and normally only field a lvl 4 Orc and the NG +1Ld BSB.
Would you suggest a Warboss too, or just keep the troops comming?

Lobba's are less than 90pts.

And I would drop the useless lt armor from your ng big bosses.

Cheers for the help guys

I've revised the list with a couple of small changes

Orc Great Shaman: Talisman of protection, wand of jet, lv4, Potion of toughness = 300

Night Goblin Warboss: Great Weapon = 61

Night Goblin Warboss: Great Weapons = 61

Black Orc Big boss: Bsb, Morks Banner, shield = 217

Night Goblin Shaman: Feedback Scroll = 100

Night Goblin Shaman: lv2 = 85

30 Night Goblins: FC, Netters, 2 Fanatics, spears =215

30 Night Goblins: FC, Netters, 2 Fanatics, spears =215

5 Wolf Riders: Bows = 55

5 Wolf Riders: Bows = 55

28 Black Orcs: FC, shields, Banner of Flame = 409

Rock Lobba = 85

Doom Diver = 80

Mangler Squig = 65

The biggest changes are the Warboss's, because I'd rather have a secure Ld7 with my NG

But is the Feedback scroll worth it compared to another Lv?

[Malorian]

Feedback scrolls rarely can kill the target without help (banehead, silver mirror, death magic) so I wouldn't bother.

[russellmoo]

I think the feedback scroll is useful only against certain armies- ideally those that run a lvl 4 with beasts, shadow, or one of the Chaos lores- as causing a few wounds on a caster can help stop them from throwing 6 dice to force through a spell, but unless you see a lot of the above mentioned lores, you are wasting points

[ghost of scubasteve]

What do you dudes think of arrer boys?? What size/style is the best to go with?

I'm thinking about trying a 7*5 block of them to shoot/tie things up for flankers

[Malorian]

A horde of 10X3 will lock down a flank pretty good.

[ghost of scubasteve]

Or maybe 3*10, dunno